1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adhesive applying apparatus for applying an adhesive for fixing an electronic component onto a circuit board.
2. Description of Related Art
A prior art adhesive applying apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.
In FIG. 6, a reference character A denotes a perspective view of a prior art adhesive applying apparatus. The reference character B denotes an applying mechanism provided with applying nozzles 1 for applying an adhesive 3, a syringe 2 for supplying the adhesive 3 to the applying nozzles 1 and a monitor camera 13. The reference character C denotes a purging (discard) station mechanism provided with a purging tape 5 for purging the adhesive 3 and a purging station 6 which is located beside a circuit board conveyance unit 10 and places thereon the purging tape 5 in a purging stage. The aforementioned circuit board conveyance unit 10 and the purging station 6 are supported on an X-Y table 30. The circuit board conveyance unit 10 is constructed so as to be able to position the applying nozzle 1 in an X-Y direction.
An adhesive applying operation of the purging station to be executed by the prior art adhesive applying apparatus A prior to shipment from the factory will be described next with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.
Conventionally, when shipping an adhesive applying apparatus, an operator performs an adjustment for making the height of the upper surface of the purging tape 5 coincide with the height of the upper surface of a circuit board 4 conveyed by the circuit board conveyance unit 10 prior to shipment from the factory. This adjustment is performed by positioning the applying nozzle 1 above the purging station 6, moving the nozzle downward to a preset height corresponding to the upper surface of the aforementioned circuit board 4, loosening screws by which the purging station 6 is mounted so that the tip of the applying nozzle 1 is positioned in contact with the upper surface of the purging tape 5 on the purging station 6 within a stroke in which the board 4 and the nozzle 1 are in contact with each other as shown in FIG. 7, thereby vertically adjusting the position of the purging station 6.
However, in the aforementioned prior art construction, the adjustment of the height position of the purging station 6 and the circuit board 4 has required a significant amount of time. Furthermore, if the height of the upper surface of the purging tape 5 does not coincide with the height of the upper surface of the circuit board 4, conveyed by the circuit board conveyance unit 10, a problem occurs in that the appropriate purging cannot be performed because the tip of the applying nozzle 1 is separated from the upper surface of the purging tape 5 or the tip of the applying nozzle 1 collides with the purging station 6 via the purging tape 5.
The present invention has as an object to provide an adhesive applying apparatus which is capable of easily and speedily adjusting the vertical positional relationship between the upper surface of the circuit board and the upper surface of the purging station during the adjustment stage prior to shipment from the factory or when changing the type of circuit board.